Trolley-catcher.



PATENTED MAY 17, 1904.

I. ,W. SMITH. TROLLEY UATGHER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25. 1904.

N0 MODEL.

Invehtd \Nlthessesz g1? fi Att or n e THE NORRIS PEYER$ CU FHOTO-LKTHOWWA'SHINGTUN, D, C.

Patented May 17, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

IRWIN W"..SMITH, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

TROLLEY-OATCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 760,163, dated May 17,1904. Application filed January 25, 1904. Serial N0- 19OA38. (N0 -l T0(Li/Z whom it concern:

Be it known that I, IRWIN W. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dayton,

in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Trolley-Catchers; and I do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and

to the figures of reference marked thereon,

which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in trolley-catchers or devicesfor controlling the trolley-poles of electric cars when the trolleywheelchances to jump the trolley-wire or become disconnected therefrom.

The object of the invention is to provide a trolley catcher orController which is positive and accurate in controlling the pole atsuch times. i v

To this end theinvention possesses the new and useful featureshereinafter described and claimed.

'2 is a similar view with'the rope-reel and its spring removed. Fig. 31s a partial sectional view. Fig. 4 is a view of the minor spring andits housing detached. Fig. 5 1s a sectional view on the line :0 of Fig.3; Fig.

6, views of the center pin-ion detached; Fig. 7 7, views of the unitedcam and ratchet-wheel 1 detached; Fig. 8, view of a portion of thesliding plate.

In a detail description of the invention siinilar reference charactersindicate corresponding parts. r l

1' designates a supporting-plate, to one side of which a housing 2 isattached, within which the main spring 3 is secured, one end of saidspring being secured to the hub 15 of pinion 15, which will be againreferred to, and the other end of'said spring is secured to a pin 5,which is fastened to a suitable point of the housing. The function ofthis spring is to rope-reel is located on the other side of the plate 1,and consists of plates 6 and 7, with an interposed cylinder 8, uponwhich the trolleyrope is reeled. The plates 6 and 7 are secured inposition by a suitable number of stud-bolts 10, on the inner side ofwhich the minor spring 11 is placed within a housing 12. One end of saidspring 11 is secured to the shaft 4 at 13, while the other end issecured to a pin 14, which is made fast to the inner plate 6. Thefunction of said spring is to prevent any slack occurring in thetrolley-rope while the trolley wheel and wire are in their normalrelation. In other words,

. while the trolley-wheel is running upon the wire this spring 11maintains the rope taut and prevents any slacking or sagging thereof.The shaft 4; passes entirely through the two springhousings and hassuitable bearings therein. Fixed to the shaft adjacent to the plate 1 isa spur-pinion 15, before referred to,

. having a clutch 16 on a face thereof, to be again referred to. Thispinion engages a spur-wheel 17, of considerably larger diameter, theratio of movement being three revolutions of the pinion to one of thewheel 17. The latter wheel is mounted on a stub-shaft 18, secured to theplate 1, and the said wheel has 'a locking-lug 19 on a face thereofwhich engages a locking-lug 20 on a sliding plate 21 to'hold the mainspring 3 out of action. The slide 21 incloses the outer side of thespurwheel 17 and is held a suitable distance away from said spur-wheelby means of bosses 22 and 23, the former of which surrounds the shaft ofsaid wheel, and the latter bossto wit, 23-is secured to the plate 1adjacent to slide is maintained in an operative position by IOO in aposition to be engaged by a rotary cam 32. The pawl 31 is pivoted to theslide 21 at 33 and is normally maintained in a position parallel withsaid slide by means of a compression-spring 34. The rotary cam 32 isfixed to a ratchet-wheel 35, and both of these are looselymounted uponthe shaft 4. The face of said cam which lies adjacent to the spur-pinionis provided with a clutch 36, which interlocks with the clutch 16 on thepinion when the main spring 3 is released, and at which time the cam,ratchet-wheel, and pinion rotate together under the action of saidspring.

L1 is a spring coiled around shaft 4, with one end attached to theratchet-wheel 35 and the other end to the shaft. The function of thisspring is to maintain the end 12 of its .clutch 36 against the end 43 ofthe pinionclutch 16, which positions are maintained while the mainspring 3 is wound for action. When the trolley-wheel leaves or jumps thewire, the ratchet-wheel is caused to move the cam 32 to impart movementto the slide 21 to disengage the locking projections 19 and 20, and thuspermit the main spring 3 to come into aotion'to pull down thetrolley-pole. When the cam has thus performed its function, the end 44of the cam-clutch 36 engages the end 45 of the pinion-clutch 16, and thepinion, cam, and ratchet-wheel move in unison during the winding-downoperation of the main spring. The ratchet wheel is rotated and therewiththe cam 32 to unlock the large gear '17 through the instrumentality of adoubleacting pawl 37, which has the curvature substantially as shown inFig. 5, and is pivoted at 38 to the inner plate of the rope-reel. One

endto wit, 39is normally in contact with the teeth of said ratchet-wheelthrough the pressure of a spring 39, and the said end 39 rides freelyover the teeth thereof and is adjustable in order that a proper normalcontact between the two may be preserved during the periods in which theoperative relation between the trolley wheel and wire is maintained. Atsuch times the other end, 40, of said pawl is free from the engagementwith said ratchet-wheel. In the event that the trolley-wheel should jumpor leave said wire the sudden jerk or motion imparted to the pawl 37 bythe pull upon the reel will throw termination of one revolution of wheel17 the locking-lugs 19 and 20 become again engaged through the releasingof the pawl 31 by the cam 32. When the main spring has performed itsfunction of drawing down the trolley-pole, the pawl 37 acts as aretaining-pawl; The end 10 thereof engaging the ratchet-wheel 35, asbefore stated, holds the pole down at the point to which it was drawn bythe main spring. In order to release this engagement, the trolley-ropeis pulled upon, allowing the minor spring 11 to turn the rope-reelasufiicient extent to release the end 40 of the pawl from engagementwith the ratchet-wheel, after which the trolley-wheel may be placed onthe wire. After this is done and in order to rewind the main spring 3the rope is pulled upon by a quick jerk, which causes the end 4E0 of thepawl to engage the ratchet-wheel, and a continued pull upon the ropecauses the pinion 15, ratchet-wheel, shaft, and cam to rotate, and tothereby turn the gear-wheel 17 one revolution, and thus the main springis rewound and prepared to assume control of the trolley-pole in theevent the wheel again jumps from the wire.

It will be understood that the moment the trolley-wheel jumps from thewire the end 40 of the pawl flies in contact with the ratchetwheel andlocks the rope-reel and prevents the trolley-pole from flying upwardly afurther extent.

It is thought that the novelty and importance of the ratchet-pawl 37both from a structural point of view and from a functional point of viewwill be readily comprehended and appreciated. The said pawl may beplaced in operation with the ratchet-wheel by imparting to theratchet-wheel a sudden jerk or motion to throw out the end 39 and causethe end 10 to engage, and such motion may be imparted to the supportupon which the pawl is pivoted, which in the present instance is theinner plate 6 of the rope-reel. I desire to claim, broadly, this ratchetmechanism in so far as the functions performed thereby are related toit.

It will be understood that when spring 11 is performing its function andmaintaining the trolley-rope taut the rope-reel is capable of rotatingin either direction, and at such time the adjustable end 39 of the pawl37 rides over the teeth of the ratchet 35. The adjustment of theengaging end 39 of said pawl is such to insure a slight contact thereofwith the ratchet-wheel. From Fig. 5 of the drawings it will be apparentthat when the pawl is carried around by the reel in one direction itwill ride over the tapering surfaces of the ratchet-wheel without theleast obstruction whatever, but that when carried in the oppositedirection by said reel there is some slight resistance between the end39 of said pawl and the said ratchet-teeth. This is compensated for,however, by the proper adjustment of the end 39 of said pawl to offerthe least possible resistance to the passage of that end, and, further,the spring 39, which normally holds the pawl inwardly, will becompressed to a sufficient extent to enable the end 39 to pass freelyover the ratchetteeth when said pawl is carried in the said oppositedirection.

The device is attached in its operative position to any suitable pointat the rear of the car and is provided with a suitable casing, (notherein shown,) which conceals the mechanism.

It has not been deemed necessary to illustrate the well-known featuresof the trolley, as it will be readily understood that the rope 9 flromthe reel is connected with the trolleypo e.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. A double-acting pawl, incombination with a ratchet-wheel, the pivot of said pawl being eccentricto the axis of said wheel and the pawl partially encompassing saidwheel, one end of said pawl being normally in contact with the teeth ofsaid wheel, and the other end of said pawl engaging the teeth of saidwheel to lock it when a sudden impetus is given said wheel or said pawl.

2. A double-acting pawl, in combination with a ratchet-wheel, the pivotof said pawl being eccentric to the axis of said Wheel and the pawlencompassing said wheel for at least one-half of its circumference, oneend of said pawl being normally in contact with the teeth 'of saidwheel, said end being adjustable to means on one of said spur-wheels tomaintain the main spring out of action while the trolley Wheel and wireare in their operative relation, a cam to engage said slide to releasethe control of the main spring when the trolley-wheel leaves said wire,and ratchet devices located between said cam and the ropereel, saidratchet devices being placed in operation by the jerk due to thetrolley-wheel leaving the wire, substantially as set forth.

4: In a trolley-catcher, a minor spring to maintain the trolley-ropetaut while the wheel and wire maintain their operative relation, a mainspring to wind down the trolley-pole in the event of the wheel leavingthe wire, said springs being mounted upon a common shaft, a spur-pinionfixed to said shaft, a cam loose upon said shaft, clutch devicesinterposed between said cam and said pinion, a ratchetwheel fixed tosaid cam, a slide actuated by said cam, a spur-wheel engaged by thepinion, interlocking means between said spurwheel and said slide tomaintain the main spring out of action when the trolley wheel and wireare in their operative relation, and a double-acting pawl interposedbetween the rope-reel and the ratchet-wheel for imparting movement tothe cam when the trolleywhcel leaves the wire, substantially as setforth.

5. In a trolley-cateher, a main spring to wind down the trolley-pole, ashaft to which said spring is connected, spur-wheels trained to saidshaft, a slide, interlocking means between said slide and one of saidgear-Wheels to maintain the said spring out of action, and means foractuating said slide to disengage the locking mechanism, substantiallyas set forth.

6. In a trolley-catcher, amain spring to assume control of atrolley-pole when the wheel leaves the wire, a minor spring to maintainthe rope taut during the operations of the trolley, spur-wheels gearedto a common shaft upon which said springs are mounted, a slide tomaintain said spur-wheels stationary while the trolley-wheelengages itswire, and means on said shaft set in action by the jerk due to thetrolley-wheel leaving the wire and whereby said slide is actuated tofree its control of the gearing and thus give the trolleypole over tothe influence of the main spring, substantially as set forth.

7. A rope-reel containing a spring for maintaining the trolley-rope tautduring the operation of the trolley, a main springto wind down thetrolley-pole when the trolley-wheel leaves the wire, a slide,interlocking means upon said slide, spur-wheels trained to the shaftupon which said springs are mounted, interlocking means on one of saidspur-wheels to engage the similar means on the slide to maintain themain spring out of action, a cam to actuate said slide to free thelocking engagement between it and said spur wheel, a ratchet-wheel fixedto said cam, a double-acting pawl carried upon the rope-reel, one end ofsaid pawl having adjustable means to maintain a normal contact with theratchet-wheel, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IRWIN I/V. SMITH.

Witnesses:

R. J. MoCARTY, C. M. TrrnonALD.

